Theatre director Nadir Khan and actor Rajit Kapur say that their forthcoming venture, A Few Good Men, for Aadyam’s fifth season, reflects upon what happens when the people in authority are questioned. By Team Viva
In Rob Reiner’s 1992 film, A Few Good Men, it was actor Jack Nicholson’s ‘You can’t handle the truth’ that became a sensation in the era when social media did not exist. And the drama became iconic in the history of global cinema. However, not many have known that the film was originally adapted from an eponymous Broadway play (of 1989), which was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, who is known to have written the stage edition of To Kill a Mockingbird.
It’s the same script that theatre director and actor Nadir Khan has picked up for his next theatrical direction for Aadyam’s fifth season. Ask him about why did he choose the very play to adapt for his next direction, he says that its lines and characters are very iconic and have stayed “relevant” to the times. “And it’s when writer Devika Sahni came up to me with the script. I was instantly drawn to it. In a way, I hadn’t chose the script but it chose me. And I like scripts which have good plots and the ability to stay with a person. In fact, the dialogues in the play are very witty and smart,” he says.
The plot is inspired by true events and is a courtroom drama which follows the trial of two US Navy Mariners accused of murdering one of their own. The story highlights the inherent flaw of a system that rewards following orders ‘no-questions-asked’, and the potential culpability of those executing the orders. So what kind of research was involved to understand the structure or make any particular changes in the script? He explains, “First. We haven’t changed it much. The same things are said in just a different way and setup. Second. Yes, some research is always involved. It was done to understand the American Military judiciary system and how it functions. I read a few things about what are their legal procedures in case an officer commits a punishable crime to understand the process of the play. Another part of research went into understanding the kind of costumes that should be given to the characters.”
The drama stars Ira Dubey as the persistent lawyer Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway, Rajit Kapur as Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Jessep, Neil Bhoopalam as US Military lawyer Daniel A Kaffee in the lead roles. Ask Nadir about why he chose the particular cast for the characters, he says, “The characters in the plot are very fierce and witty people. And for that, I needed a strong cast. And Ira, Neil and Rajit were actually the ideal ones.”
Whereas, Rajit’s reasons for joining the cast were different. He says that Nadir is a good friend. “But it’s not just because he’s a friend but is also an accomplished director. I share a certain equation with him. And when you have that, there happens to be a mutual trust and understanding. So when he said that he couldn’t think of anyone else for this role, I juggled my schedules to make it happen,” he tells us and laughs.
The cocky, arrogant lawyer Lieutenant Kaffee accuses Colonel Jessup of ordering the killing of a US Marine at Guantanamo Bay. While talking about his character, he says, “It’s definitely a challenging part for me since I have never played the role of a military officer before. In the play, Jessup’s authority is being questioned. It showcases what happens when somebody in power is being questioned. His personality is quite tough. Well, how else would you describe a guy whose life motto is, ‘Walk softly and carry an armoured tank division.’ Jessup isn’t afraid of anything or anyone and is used to people challenging him. He shouldn’t ever have to explain himself, especially to some desk jockey and he never backs down. So the way my character looked at things and made a perspective was very important and I kept that in mind.”
Nadir, who has also directed another courtroom drama, 12 Angry Jurors (also for Aadyam), tells us about his fascination with courtroom dramas. “They always have in store some suspense and mystery. I feel that they are very intriguing and can hold the audience. However, 12 Angry Jurors is very different than this one. This play is more about the code of morality rather than the lack of justice. It really questions whether one can handle the truth or not and how,” says he.
This isn’t Nadir’s first stint with Aadyam. Apart from 12 Angry Jurors, he has previously brought to the stage, #SingIndiaSing, The Hounds of Baskerville, I Don’t Like It. He says, “Five years in a row with Aadyam is pressure enough. And when you’re doing a text as iconic as this one, you better make sure you’ve got a cracking cast to match Sorkin’s superb writing. Thankfully, we’ve managed to do that.”
Ask Rajit about what was his research while getting into the skin of his character, he says, “I didn’t have to read or watch anything to do that. Nadir had done it all for me. He was very clear about what he wants and how he wants it. I won’t deny that I haven’t watched the film. It was years ago when it first came out. However, I didn’t want to watch it again to be influenced by it. It is important for me as an actor because it’s evident that people draw comparisons. For me, the most important thing was to bring out that character in my own way. I haven’t let the film affect my performance at all.”
The actor believes that since it’s a play, there are not much things to play around with. For instance, the location. He says, “You don’t have the liberty to shoot in real locations, of course. You have to imagine certain things in a play and I think, that is the beauty of it.”
In this era of social media, does he feel that theatre is facing a pushback due to the advent of the digital platforms? He says, “Not at all. Even with online channels, more and more youngsters are getting attracted to theatre. I can recall, when we were in college, we only saw 35 plus people in the audience but that’s not the case today. Of course, social media is a big thing but there is simply no comparison. It’s tough but it has always been that way. When television came, everybody said live performances will not happen anymore. But they are still going on. So live performances are here to stay.”
Danish Hussain, Ashwin Mushran, Tavish Bhattacharya, Junaid Khan, Sukant Goel, Kenny Desai, Siddharth Kumar, Suresh Venkat, Sahir Mehta, Zeus Paranjape and Rohit Dandwani are among the others in the cast.
